The NPF wishes to thank all the supporters who have taken the time to sign up for membership, share our information, and spread the good word on what we are trying to do. We are at a critical juncture as members of the RCMP and it is vital that all members be advised and informed on what is transpiring in the RCMP labour relations universe. We all have a say and we can all have a part in shaping our future, so thank you for your continued support.

We write to you today to provide updates on Bill C-7, our membership drive and how you can help.

Bill C-7 update

On June 15th, 20016 the Senate standing Committee on National Security unanimously amended Bill C-7, by removing all exclusions to collective bargaining for members of the RCMP. The Committee also expanded the provisions for members to be able to file a grievance.

The NPF played a pivotal role in providing evidence to the Senate in order for them to see these limitations; this was done by providing testimony before the Senate Committee, submitting well researched and cited evidence to the Committee, as well as numerous interactions with members of the Senate via phone, email, and in person meetings.

It was our position that management was seeking to limit the number of items that could be bargained; this not only went against the spirit of many Supreme Court of Canada decisions, but also was contrary to the spirit of the MPAO decision by the SCC in January 2015. The items management looked to exclude from the bargaining process were issues such as: equipment, training, resourcing/staffing, and harassment/bullying. Bill C-7 restricted bargaining solely to pay and benefits, this is no longer the case and we have effectively won this battle in the ongoing war.

This was a massive win for the membership of the RCMP. A clear message was sent to management: that we are organized, we are unified, and we deserve the same treatment and respect as our colleagues in other police services. Our battle now moves back to the House of Commons to ensure the MPs see that the Senate’s direction was correct and the Bill needs to pass as amended.

On June 17th, 2016, the Liberal leader in the Senate (Senator Harder) delayed third reading of the Bill by placing it at the end of business. It was not addressed before the House of Commons adjourned for the weekend. This means the Senate will likely have third reading on Bill C-7 sometime the week of June 20th, however it is highly doubtful that the House of Commons will receive, debate and have the time to pass this legislation before their summer break.

Some would see this as a setback, the NPF sees this as an opportunity. It has been no secret that the House of Commons and the Senate were at odds on C-7, after the Senate unanimously made large changes to the Bill. That being the case, it is our belief that we need to do more to educate the MPs about the importance of the Bill, the need to keep the exclusions to bargaining out and how this impacts the membership of the RCMP. The fact that it will not be rushed through, gives us all more time to educate those MPs over the summer.

Credit should also be extended to all individuals who wrote in to the MP’s and Senate, as well as to the MPPAC and AMPMQ for their evidence and submissions. Keep up the good work and continue to engage your respective MPs; the NPF will continue to engage MPs and their staff, to ensure RCMP members can receive fair and equitable treatment in the collective bargaining process.

Membership drive

Our membership drive continues to grow at an exciting rate, only 12 weeks in and we are at approximately 2,200 members but also need to continue to grow. We believe all members need to educate themselves and make an informed choice regarding their labour relations future – in our opinion, to remain unrepresented and not have any form of collective voice is not an option!

With the continued restrictions imposed by the RCMP on how we can communicate with the membership and the many members who do not use any form of social media, it is critical we get the word out and inform the membership. You can play an absolutely essential role in this process by speaking to co-workers about the NPF and creating a dialogue about RCMP labour relations.

This is our future and we all deserve to be a part of it. We are standing at a turning point in the RCMP’s iconic history and a true paradigm shift in how we do things is at play.

We encourage you to email this update to 5 of your friends in the RCMP and to respond to the info@npf-fpn.com email address with 5 personal email addresses of RCMP members. The NPF will then keep those members as informed as you are. The more members that are engaged and informed, the more members will see NPF as the future for the RCMP.

Collectively, as RCMP members, we have done many great things as an organization for Canadians at home and abroad, but now is the time to turn inward and ensure that our needs are taken care of as employees of this great organization.

Town Halls

We are looking into a number of Town Halls in the Atlantic area as well as Saskatchewan, Manitoba and BC. Stay tuned as dates are confirmed.

The following Town Hall meetings are confirmed in Alberta this month. They are, as follows:

Lloydminster AB: June 20, 2016 at 1600hrs – held at the Lloydminster Legion

Red Deer AB: June 21, 2016 at 1300hrs – held at the Red Deer Legion

Grande Prairie AB: June 22, 2016 at 1300hrs – held at the Grande Prairie Legion

Leduc AB: June 23, 2016 at 1600hrs – held at the Leduc Legion

We look forward to seeing you there and sharing our information with you. This is an excellent opportunity to grab a co-worker or two and assist them in making an informed choice. This is our future and the time is now to take action.

One thought on “Membership Update: – June 19th, 2016”

Good day everyone. In the wake of Edmonton’s settlement for wages, and in discussions with other members as to the apparent disparity where an EPS Sgt. is now in the $120,000 range, when can we expect some good news for our salaries? Who is submitting our proposal as I have heard that there was a proposal by pay council however the Commissioner submitted a similar proposal? What does this mean? Anyone with answers would be good to hear from. Thanks.